


Just Catch Me

by Yesimawriter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alley Hand Jobs, Angst, Angst and Feels, Auror Harry Potter, Blow Jobs, Criminal Draco Malfoy, Hand Jobs, Intense, M/M, Sarcastic Harry Potter, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 10:42:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13785792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yesimawriter/pseuds/Yesimawriter
Summary: Harry likes to chase and Malfoy, it seems, likes to be chased.“You know, Potter,” Draco said, and Harry gritted his teeth as he felt Draco’s breath near his ear. He was going to catch the bastard and tie him up in these very ropes that Harry just couldn’t seem to get out of. He froze as he felt Malfoy pulling at his ropes, bringing him to his knees. “Ever since we shared a drunken kiss in that isolated alleyway, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”Draco’s fingers curled beneath Harry’s chin, tilting it upwards so that Harry could see him better. Harry’s hands still wouldn’t come free. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Harry muttered resolutely and looked away to the side.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This beauty wouldn’t have been possible to write had it not been for @heyitsamorette/amorettehd’s amazing prompt. @heyitsamorette also helped beta this and gave really helpful feedback and lovely comments for the fic so thank you for that. It’s my first time writing something this explicit, especially for a fest this big, so I hope all of you readers enjoy it and feel like I’ve done the prompt justice.

**_His fingers burned ice cold_** as they gripped his wand, eyes searching through the dust while his mind screamed _Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy_ at him. He froze as the stairs creaked under his weight, hoping that they wouldn’t collapse all of a sudden, making him go down with them. As he spluttered and coughed at having walked into another cobweb, his fingers itched to cast a cleaning charm on the whole shack. But he restrained himself, knowing that he couldn’t risk alerting Malfoy to his presence by using magic.

Another step, another creak. Harry winced and wrinkled his nose as a fly settled on it. ‘Malfoy better be hiding in here, and all of this sneaking about better be worth it,’ Harry thought just as he stumbled and hit his side on the railing that he should’ve been holding. At that particular point in time, Harry didn’t even know why he was bothering to pretend like Malfoy wasn’t aware of Harry’s presence in the shack already—if Malfoy was actually in there in the first place.

Reaching the top of the staircase was a victory in itself for Harry, and so was the fact that he managed to remain sane through all of it. He shouldn’t have been celebrating just yet, though, because a familiar voice coming from behind him made him freeze on the spot.

“Potter,” it said. “I was hoping it would be you.”

Harry swallowed as something heavy seemed to crawl up his gut and lodge itself firmly in his throat. “Malfoy.” He took a deep breath to steel himself before turning around to face him. “It’s been a while,” he said, and it had been.

“Yes, quite,” Draco agreed amenably. He made no move to back away or fight Harry, which left Harry feeling unsure about his own plan of attack. “I must say, Potter,” Draco started, and Harry’s grip on his wand tightened as Draco dared to take a step forward, “you seem to have changed quite a bit since the last time we met.” Another step forward, and Harry didn’t move a muscle, his eyes never leaving Draco’s.

“I could say the same to you,” he retorted. He tried not to notice the fact that Draco seemed to have grown more attractive in the weeks since they had last met. His hair seemed to have gone wild, eyes more intense and lips as alluring as ever. Harry just wanted to rip all of his clothes off and take him right there—hard and fast. He wanted Draco to scream and writhe under him in pleasure, and then he wanted Draco to drive just as hard and fast into him.

“Indeed,” Draco said, and he was walking towards Harry now, taking quick, confident strides. Harry held his wand up, although a little hesitantly, stopping Draco’s advances on him.

“Let’s not play games, Malfoy,” Harry said. “You know why I’m here and you know that you’ve been caught, so give up.” It was he who was advancing on Draco now, and the git only smirked, his smirk growing wider as Harry placed his wand at the base of Draco’s neck.

Draco tilted his head slightly with curiosity. “Which spell will you use this time, Potter? Surely, it would get a bit repetitive if you used the Sectumsempra spell this time.” Harry flinched at Draco’s words, and that moment was all Draco needed to turn him around and twist his arms behind his back. He held them with one hand, Harry’s back pulled flush against him as he pointed Harry’s own wand at him. Harry gritted his teeth as he realised that he hadn’t even felt Draco pulling the wand from his grasp.

As the wand grazed Harry’s chin slightly, he tensed, wondering where Draco’s own wand was. “Will you be trying Crucio on me again, Malfoy?” Harry asked, his words barely a whisper, but he felt Draco’s arms grow a bit slack. Before he could do anything about it, however, Draco pulled him closer and Harry tensed even more as he felt Draco’s cock press against him through his trousers.

“Don’t even try to pull that same trick on me, Potter,” he warned, and Harry had to resist the urge to shiver as Draco’s hot breath hit his ear. It wasn’t just his breath though, even Draco’s voice, the sound of it, turned him on to unimaginable lengths. So, although he knew that he shouldn’t be, Harry was thankful that it was him who was trapped in that position and not Draco. “It won’t work.”

Realising that he had to get out of Draco’s grip, and fast, Harry made quick work of his reflexes, catching Draco by surprise as he broke free of him. He made sure that his wand was pointed away from his own face, and turned around just in time to see Draco Disapparate, taking Harry’s wand along with him.

* * *

 

 ** _His fingers burned white hot_** this time as they met with something warm and soft— skin, his mind supplied—and he felt lips latch onto his. He let out a quiet moan as hands caressed the sides of his body and a cock thrusted against his own. Light blond hair and pale skin swam into his vision as he came to the realization that he was naked, and so was the figure he was touching. It was a figure so familiar, one that filled Harry with such immense want and need, that Harry was lost to the feelings washing over him. He closed his eyes, feeling the smoothness of the skin, the dip between the shoulders, the heart beating below his fingertips and the body against his own.

“Draco,” he called out the name and gripped his naked waist as Draco thrusted again. He buried his face into Draco’s shoulder and then turned slightly to suck on the skin at the base of Draco’s neck.

Draco arched into Harry, throwing his head back to let out a groan, “Harry.” Harry gripped tighter, teeth grazing against skin as he thrust against Draco this time.

He blinked as his vision started blurring at the edges and the scene in front of him slowly began to fade. He could only hear Draco’s voice mingling with his own as they both came, gushing over each other before Harry’s vision faded completely and only one name remained on his lips.

_“Draco.”_


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two days. Two fucking long ass days since Malfoy had stolen his wand, and had yet to give it back. Harry didn’t know why he kept hoping that Malfoy would give it back despite knowing he wouldn’t. Malfoy was a stubborn arsehole, Harry would give him that much credit, and he was an arrogant prat, and Harry would receive a lot of physical and mental pleasure when he caught him. That was the only thought that kept him going as he walked to the podium, ready for his press conference.

**“Auror Potter, how long had you been working on this case?”**

Harry had been working on the case for a few months. It had been quite surprising for him to have read the case files and be brought up to date on Malfoy’s ongoing frauds and illegal activities.

He remembered how he had gone home that first night completely numb and overtaken by feelings of betrayal and complete denial. Harry had believed in Malfoy, he had helped him win the trials, and although he would never regret that, he did feel wounded and wronged at how mistaken he had been to think that Malfoy would actually turn his life around and live nobly.

He had somehow found himself in a club a few hours later, heavily drunk and with a lot of suppressed emotions that he wasn’t quite keen on analysing. A flash of platinum blond hair heading towards the exit was what had motivated him to get his arse off of the stool he had been sitting on and head in the same direction. As soon as he had pushed opened the door to the exit and the cold wind had hit him, his anger had taken over, and he had seen nothing but red.

“Hey, Malfoy!” He’d shouted out and been more than delighted when the man had stopped and slowly turned around.

“Potter,” he’d said, the word coming out soft and breathless, which was something that Harry wasn’t used to. “What are you doing here?”

_Harry took quick strides to catch up to Malfoy, and before he knew what he was doing, had him by his collar, pushing him backwards. Malfoy stumbled and Harry advanced on him until his back hit a wall. “Potter, what—?”_

_“I hate you, Malfoy. I hope you know that,” Harry spat out._

_Malfoy’s body grew slack at that declaration, his mouth dropping open just slightly before he tensed up, mouth closing and lips widening into a smirk. “It might be disappointing for you to find out about this, Potter, but you aren’t the first, and most certainly not the last wizard to have told me this.” His grey eyes remained neutral and expressionless._

_“I can’t believe I helped you out in the trails for you to turn into a criminal like this!” Harry angrily exclaimed. “I thought you’d changed, you said you were trying to be different, and I was a fool to have believed you.”_

_Harry saw Draco’s fists clench as he murmured, “Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. You have no idea—”_

_“You’re right, I don’t,” Harry interrupted throwing his hands up, and then sighed as he dropped them, stepping closer to Draco so that they were only inches apart. “This isn’t you, Draco,” he said softly, “Just give up and come with me.”_

_A burst of bitter laughter erupted from Malfoy’s throat and had Harry startling and taking a step backwards instinctively. “So this was the Ministry’s plan, was it? To send you to try and talk me into getting myself arrested. It won’t work, Potter. Nothing will. There is only one way that you can get me to stop,” Malfoy sneered, then leaned in to whisper into Harry’s ear, “and I dare you to try it.”_

_He stepped back at that, stopping when his back hit the wall. Harry panicked when he noticed that Draco was Disapparating. He had to keep him there with him, he couldn’t let him go, couldn’t let him disappear so that he could go into hiding again. So he did the only thing he could think of in that moment, the only thing that would make him stay. Harry held Malfoy’s shirt in a tight grip, pulling Draco into him and kissing him._

**“How did it feel?”**

Harry could feel the heat spreading across his face, even though he knew it wouldn’t show. How did kissing Draco feel? Harry had pulled him in, kissing him hard and rough, pouring all of his anger into the kiss. But instead of turning it harsh, into a battle of biting and tugging and hurting like he easily could have, Draco had kissed him back slowly and deeply and passionately, making Harry forget everything, and moan in desperation. _Harry loosened his grip on Draco’s shirt, wrapping his hands around his neck and letting one slide up into his hair. He let the kiss turn soft and sweet towards the end, gasping and heaving for breath as they parted, like Draco himself was doing._ Their eyes, after they had opened, hadn’t dared to leave each other’s and Harry had noticed the way Draco had visibly straightened up, pulling his hands away from Harry’s waist. Harry had also dropped his hands down to his sides, coming to his senses and sobering up immediately.

_Suddenly, he couldn’t look Draco in the eyes anymore. He took a step back, clenching his fists. “I trusted you,” he spoke brokenly, staring down at the gap in between their feet._

_He heard Draco exhaling a whoosh of breath. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice so genuine and sincere that it made Harry look up. But Draco had already left, leaving him alone in an empty alleyway._

**_“Excuse me?”_ **

**“I apologise. I was not clear enough with my question. How did it feel to know that the same man you helped out in the trials and let walk free was now committing crimes quite severe in nature and forcing you to catch him?”**

Harry gritted his teeth at the question, tightening his grip on the edge of the podium. For a brief moment, he was back in that narrow alleyway, standing right in front of Malfoy, facing him but not looking at him.

_“I trusted you.”_

_“I’m sorry.”_

**_“I was a fool to have believed him.”_ **


	3. Chapter 3

The second time they met, Harry was on Auror duty and had just been called in for an illegal potions bust. He was the first one to reach the location and instead of waiting for backup, he had walked right into the rundown storage shelter. He hadn’t found a single suspect whilst scouring the entire place and had walked out empty handed. There was nothing inside, the whole place had been cleaned up. Someone had known that the Aurors would be coming, and Harry intended to find out who.

As Harry talked to the rest of the Aurors, discussing their plan of action and where they could go from there, he saw a shadow pass through from the corner of his eye. He would’ve let it go, but experience had taught him to trust his instincts. So he excused himself and headed in the direction of the shadow. It led him to the back of the shelter, where there was complete darkness and Harry couldn’t see a thing.

“Oh, Potter,” someone said lightly, their tone laced with a slight hint of pity and regret. “Why does it always have to be you?”

Harry already had his wand up and ready to attack at his will, but since he was literally and metaphorically in the dark, he decided to start off with a spell quite small. “Lumos.”

As the tip of his wand lit up and he started to see almost everything nearby, the wand was pulled from his grasp and automatically thrown into a distance. “Expelliarmus!”

“Malfoy,” Harry hissed, and brought his hands up, clenching them as he stood in a fighting stance.

“Tsk tsk, Potter,” Malfoy said, making Harry whirl to where he could hear the sound of the prat’s voice. “You won’t be needing those.” Suddenly, quicker than Harry could realise and would’ve thought it possible for Malfoy to act, Harry’s hands were tied with rope.

“What the—” It was actual rope, and Draco had manually wrapped it around his hands. The move had seemed almost as if it had been done by an expert, someone with a lot of experience and practice, and even as Harry tried to get out of the ropes that bound him, he wondered why Malfoy hadn’t just used the Incarcerous spell. It was a lot more effective and Harry knew for a fact that Malfoy could do that spell.

“You know, Potter,” Draco said, and Harry gritted his teeth as he felt Draco’s breath near his ear. He was going to catch the bastard and tie him up in these very ropes that Harry just couldn’t seem to get out of. He froze as he felt Malfoy pulling at his ropes, bringing him to his knees. He resisted, still standing as he searched for those familiar grey eyes and latched onto them. Malfoy seemed to finally be done with the rope pulling, stepping closer to Harry, which was quite a daring move considering the fact that Harry’s feet were free.

Harry tried to muster all of his hatred and anger into his gaze, never looking away from those grey eyes. As Malfoy’s lean, elegant fingers slowly slid down the side of his face, Harry blinked and his gaze faltered, fighting to resist the urge to look away or lean into the touch. He swallowed heavily, letting a slight shudder wrack his body as Draco’s other hand made its way into Harry’s hair, threading his fingers through it. “Ever since we shared a drunken kiss in that isolated alleyway, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

Draco’s fingers curled beneath Harry’s chin, tilting it upwards so that Harry could see him better. Harry’s hands still wouldn’t come free.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Harry muttered resolutely and looked away to the side. He let out a surprised gasp as Draco’s fingers tightened around his hair, now gripping them. He was lying, he knew that. Harry hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what had happened in the alleyway, either. He’d had flashes of it, dreams of the things that Draco could have done to him, that he could’ve done to Draco. Not thinking about Malfoy, Harry had found, was an almost impossible feat, and one that he could most certainly not achieve.

A quiet moan escaped Harry’s throat as Draco’s lips touched Harry’s jaw, his teeth grazing across the skin. “Is that so?” Draco quipped, and Harry suddenly felt hot under his collar. “Also, I must say, Potter, I quite like your appearance in this outfit.”

The fingers that had been stationary under Harry’s chin dropped down to his chest. He felt Draco hold onto his shirt tightly, and pull him into him. “I wouldn’t be too opposed to getting a proper kiss this time. I do hope that you kiss a lot better when you’re sober than drunk.”

That hint of a challenge was what spurred Harry on, and he wished in that moment that his hands weren’t tied back with rope that was somehow clearly magical, despite not being so. “Well, then why don’t you show me how you do it, Malfoy? Since you seem to think that you’re the better kisser.”

That had seemed to be the invitation that Draco had been waiting for, because he only responded with, “If you insist, Potter,” and pulled Harry in for one of the best kisses of his life.

It was messy, Harry had to admit. It had started off clean and controlled, and then, quite like Harry’s feelings for Draco, it had gotten messy and out of his control. Before either of them had known it, Harry had been pulled down to his knees, with Draco undoing the belt of his trousers. Harry hadn’t stopped to think—he never did—about what he was doing and where he was and who he was, who he was with. As soon as Draco unzipped his trousers, Harry’s mouth was on his cock.

Draco let out a loud _“fuck”_ as he lurched forward, and Harry smirked around his shaft, liking what he’d heard and the effect that he had on Draco. He rolled his tongue around the tip, feeling his own shaft getting hard as Malfoy let out a stream of curses. Their gasps and moans echoed in the cavernous shelter, hips thrusting and mouths moving faster and faster, until they collapsed onto the floor, sticky but satiated.

“There is something I should probably tell you before I go,” Draco said when he had caught his breath enough to finally speak. “The rope that your hands are tied with is bound to you by a spell. There is only one way that you can be free of it. Luckily for you, that way is quite simple.”

It took a few seconds for Harry to find his own voice, but he immediately spoke up as soon as he did. “And what is that, Malfoy?” Harry tried to make his voice sound deep and unaffected, but even before he’d started, he’d known that he’d fail.

“You just have to wish for it to be gone,” came the reply.


	4. Chapter 4

The third was the last time they met before the incident in the shack.

**“Auror Potter, what was the exact cause of you leaving this case and handing it over to Auror Weasley? We are aware that you have been asked this question several times in the past but your answer has never been clear enough.”**

So what was Harry’s reason for leaving the case, and if he had left it, then why had he found himself tailing Malfoy again and somehow ending up in that old shack in the middle of nowhere? It was true, then, that old habits did die hard.

_He was following Malfoy. The scene was so similar to sixth year but at the same time not, that Harry found himself getting unwanted vivid flashbacks of that very day when he’d gone into Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and slashed Malfoy up. He shuddered as he remembered the reason why he was so reluctant to point his wand at Malfoy; he’d promised himself after that day that he never would._

_Harry froze as he spotted Malfoy coming out of a shady-looking apothecary with some ‘medicines’, but really, Harry knew that he was trading all kinds of illegal ingredients to make potions for a cheaper price so that he could gain direct profit from his transactions. Now all Harry needed to do was catch Malfoy in the act, with the ingredients on him, and that would be enough cause for his immediate arrest. That thought made something in Harry’s stomach churn, but he ignored it as he continued tailing Malfoy._

_They were in a dark, narrow alleyway again, and Harry had to wonder why, wonder how they always ended up here. Did the place hold some special meaning that they had missed? Harry didn’t know, but maybe he wouldn’t exactly be opposed to finding out._

_“Malfoy!” Harry called out. Unlike the last two times, this time his voice was full of confidence and it echoed with a tone of authority. No pain and unsurety, no anger and accusations, just Harry and Draco, Potter and Malfoy, Auror and—. Harry took a deep breath before saying his next words. “Stop where you are!”_

_Malfoy froze on the spot. “Potter,” he said, gritting his teeth. “You should not be here.”_

_“Why not?” Harry questioned, walking towards him as Malfoy slowly turned around. Harry had to take a breather, Malfoy looked absolutely furious. His eyes were blazing with a fire burning in them, his cheeks were flushed with anger, and his fists were clenched, his entire body tense as if ready to spring an attack. “After all, it is my job to be here, following you.”_

_“Ah, yes. Some things never change, do they?” Malfoy was still staring straight into Harry’s eyes with a fury so heated and hatred so complete in itself that Harry itched to grab at his wand. ‘But I promised myself I would never’, and so he didn’t._

_Instead he pulled Draco into him, leaning against a wall as he wrapped an arm around Draco’s neck and situated his other hand on Draco’s arse cheek, kissing him fully and deeply on the lips. He felt Draco harden against him and rolled his hips, eliciting a moan from Draco as he arched into Harry._

_Harry turned them around so that Draco was the one now leaning on the wall. He latched his lips onto the skin just below Draco’s ear and trailed his tongue, burning hot kisses all the way down his neck. He was ever so turned on by the sounds that Draco was making, his cock so hard and feeling so incredibly tight in his trousers that it almost jumped to life when Draco’s hand went inside them and grazed it, barely even touching it._

_“Draco,” Harry let out as he bit back a groan, burying his face in the crook of Draco’s neck. He felt Draco unzipping his trousers and gave a sharp gasp as he felt Draco’s hand closing around his cock._

_“Enjoying this, are we, Potter?” Draco almost sneered, but Harry was too far gone, his arm now dropping from Draco’s neck so that his hand could grip his shirt._

_“Fuck yes,” Harry mumbled, thrusting into Draco’s hand and then letting out a shudder. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you ever since I got those fucking case files,” he admitted._

_“Yeah?” Draco asked, as his hand moved up and down Harry’s cock. Harry didn’t have to look at him to know that Draco was smirking at the statement, but he somehow couldn’t seem to stop himself. Not now._

_“Yes, you gorgeous prat! I actually—” his words were lost in Draco’s shoulder as he almost collapsed, spilling into Draco’s hand. He was glad that he hadn’t said his next words, though, because he couldn’t bear to imagine the consequences if he had._

_“Alright there, Potter?” Draco asked with an infuriating grin when Harry straightened up, and Harry had to teach him. He just had to._

_So he stepped forwards, closing the distance between the both of them as he licked his lips, keeping his eyes on Draco’s lips. Draco had stopped smiling and was staring slightly wide eyed at Harry, swallowing heavily as Harry’s hand slid into his trousers._

_“Potter, I—” Draco faltered in his words, uncertainty showing on his features as his voice wavered._

_“Alright there, Malfoy?” Harry questioned, mockingly, and Draco immediately glared at him, all traces of unsurety gone with only confidence showing on his face._

_“Of course, Potter. Although I do doubt whether you’ll be able to get it up. You see I am not as easily turned on as you are,” Draco haughtily stated. Harry only stepped closer, unzipping Draco’s trousers and never once breaking eye contact with him._

_“Is that what you think?” Harry whispered, a slow smile spreading across his face as Draco’s lips parted, letting out a shaky breath. Harry had started moving his hand up and down Draco’s cock, his thumb brushing across the tip, making Draco bite his bottom lip as he closed his eyes in ecstasy. Harry leaned forwards and tugged at Draco’s bottom lip, pulling it between his own to kiss him gently._

_“Harry,” the name spilled from Draco’s lips as he arched into Harry completely and Harry froze, never having heard his name coming from those particular lips, and that particular voice. It made Harry realise all of the things that he had been trying not to, all of the feelings and thoughts that he had been in denial about, and all he was left thinking was: what was he doing? What were they doing—him and Draco? This wasn’t right, and there was only one way that things could end with the both of them at that particular point in time._

_Coming to his senses, Harry immediately retracted his hand, stepping backwards with what he was sure was horror showing on his face. His heart was pounding in his ears even as it sank with the knowledge of what he now knew, and it squeezed painfully when Draco’s grey eyes opened, meeting Harry’s._

_“Potter, what—” Confusion combined with a mixture of want and need shown on his face, and Harry wanted. He wanted to finish what he had started, to give Draco the pleasure that he had given Harry. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t because if he went back, if he started again, he didn’t know if he could stop. He needed to stop. “Potter.” Draco’s voice was filled with a painful quality, containing an emotion Harry couldn’t place._

_“I—I can’t. I’m sorry Malfoy, I just—” He took a deep breath, looking into Draco’s eyes and hoping he would understand what Harry was trying to say. Then he took another step back._

_“Just finish this, Potter,” Draco said. “Just finish this and then you can go.”_

_“This is—we shouldn’t—I have to go,” Harry stuttered, as he tried to figure out what to say. He wondered whether the panicked look in Draco’s eyes was reflected in his own._

_“Just finish this,” Draco was saying, and Harry couldn’t. He couldn’t deny Draco what he had asked for, he couldn’t deny himself the temptation, couldn’t resist the pull. He wasn’t strong enough._

_So he closed the gap between them, wanting to finish this once and for all, wanting to kiss Draco for the last time, to feel his body against his own, Draco’s lips on his skin and his fingers on Draco’s skin. He wanted to feel Draco’s cock throb in his hand, spilling onto Harry’s fingers, and he wanted to feel Draco’s cock in his mouth, to see Draco’s reaction to it again. So he did._

_But as Draco shuddered and moaned and groaned against him, Harry’s name spilling multiple times from his lips, Harry realised that there was so much more that he wanted from Draco. Things that were impossible to get from him because this would be the last time they would be meeting, Harry would make sure of it, but also because there were things that were impossible to get from Draco, impossible to give to him._

_As Draco stood almost motionless, his head fallen back onto the wall, his eyes closed and neck fully open, Harry let himself indulge just one last time. He pushed his fingers into Draco’s soft, silky hair, which had become a bit sweaty, but Harry liked it that way, he liked the way it glistened in the moonlight. He pushed the hair away from Draco’s face, away from his eyes, his fingers sliding down the side of Draco’s face, feeling the regret and guilt and sadness he had buried deep inside finally breaking free and weighing on him._

_Draco still hadn’t opened his eyes, still hadn’t moved a muscle, but he trembled under Harry’s touch. “Draco,” Harry said his name, letting his vulnerability show, letting all of his locked up emotions out. His fingers stilled under Draco’s chin, his other hand coming up to cup the other side of Draco’s face, his thumb gently brushing against Draco’s cheekbones._

_He saw Draco’s eyes flutter open and leaned in to his lips. Sighing at the contact, Harry relaxed into him, calling out Draco’s name again just for the sake of it. “Draco.”_

_“Potter,” Draco said, and Harry waited. He waited for more until he realised that Draco was doing the very same thing that he was. They parted and the hand that was cupping Draco’s face dropped, but the fingers under his chin went lower. They traced the curve of Draco’s—ever so graceful, in Harry’s opinion—neck and the side of Draco’s shoulder before Harry forced himself to step away. He looked at Draco one last time. Draco, who looked like a piece of painted art at that very moment, who always did. Draco was a masterpiece, he always had been. And Harry…Harry…really needed to go._

_“Potter,” Draco called again, and this time, Harry waited because he knew Draco had something to say. Harry’s back was to Draco, he wasn’t going to turn around, he couldn’t risk getting treated by the sight of Draco again, the temptation would be too great and Harry wouldn’t be able to resist it this time. “Before you go, tell me this. What were you going to say back then? You said that I was a gorgeous prat, and then what?”_

_Harry’s heart hammered in his chest. He could just not reply, he could just go, just walk away, but he had never been able to do that, not when it came to Draco._

_“I was going to say that you’re a gorgeous prat and that I actually really, really like you,” Harry responded. He bit his lip as he heard Draco exhale hard, as if all of the air had been knocked out from his lungs, and perhaps it had been._

_“Yeah?” Draco asked, and this time it was soft and broken, and Harry wanted nothing more than to turn around, nothing more than to just confess his feelings to the absolute git, but he couldn’t. He was an Auror and Draco…. It would never work. With that thought, he picked up the bag that had fallen from Draco’s grasp and headed away from the scene._

_“I’ll see you around, Malfoy,” he said, even though he knew he wouldn’t, and heard Draco’s voice in a distance._

_“I hope for both our sakes, Potter, that you do not.”_


End file.
